6.1: Early Childhood Curriculum and Pedagogy

In early care and education, we value how children process information, we recognize how important their feelings are, and we place great significance on how children learn to socialize with others. As intentional teachers, our primary goal is to incorporate a curriculum that supports the “whole child” in all domains of development, including social, emotional, physical, and intellectual. The word curriculum can mean different things to different people. For some, the curriculum can provide the framework for learning. For others it can be a variety of planned activities, and for others a curriculum is a way to drive learning outcomes, goals, and objectives. The curriculum can be developed by teachers, or it can be purchased as part of a prefabricated program; it can be child-directed, and it can be teacher-directed.

According to a joint position paper by the National Association for the Education of Young Child (NAEYC) and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Department of Education (NAECS- SDE), “Curriculum is an organized framework that delineates the content children are to learn, the processes through which children achieve identified curricular goals, what teachers do to help achieve these goals, and the context in which teaching and learning occur” (2009). In other words, the curriculum helps teachers organize the day-to-day activities, it outlines the learning goals and outcomes that teachers need to assess, and lastly, the curriculum provides teachers with the guidance and structure that they need to teach.

In early childhood education, content refers to the specific knowledge, concepts, and skills that educators aim to teach young children across developmental domains and subject areas. These content areas include foundational topics such as language and literacy, early math, science exploration, social studies, the arts, and social-emotional learning (Copple and Bredekamp 2009; NAEYC 2022). Content in early childhood is developmentally appropriate and delivered through play-based, hands-on, and inquiry-driven activities that align with how young children learn best—through active engagement, sensory experiences, and meaningful interactions with peers and adults (Epstein 2014; Bredekamp 2019).

Rather than being taught in isolated subjects, content is often integrated across daily routines, thematic units, and learning centers. For example, a lesson on plants may include content from science (plant life cycles), literacy (plant-related vocabulary and stories), math (counting seeds or measuring growth), and art (drawing or painting flowers) (NAEYC 2020). Effective content planning in early childhood ensures that experiences are both age-appropriate and culturally responsive, promoting children’s curiosity and foundational understanding in a holistic, interconnected way (Copple and Bredekamp 2009; Tomlinson 2014).

While curriculum and content describe “what” we teach young children, methods or pedagogy describe the “how,” or what methods and strategies we use to deliver the curriculum and content. Early childhood pedagogy refers to the art and science of teaching young children, encompassing the methods, strategies, and approaches educators use to support children’s learning and development during the early years (Copple and Bredekamp 2009). It involves creating learning environments that are developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and based on children’s interests and strengths (Bredekamp 2019). Effective pedagogy in early childhood emphasizes play-based, inquiry-driven experiences that promote holistic development—cognitive, social-emotional, physical, and language skills—through intentional adult–child interactions (Epstein 2014; NAEYC 2022).

Moreover, early childhood pedagogy recognizes the importance of building strong relationships with children and families, incorporating their backgrounds and values into the learning process (Tomlinson 2014). It integrates ongoing observation and assessment to inform responsive teaching practices, ensuring that instruction meets each child’s unique needs and fosters a positive disposition toward learning (National Research Council 2008).

“The idea of mirrors and windows is useful for curriculum development. The curriculum should provide mirrors so that children see themselves, their families, and their communities reflected in the learning environment, materials, and activities. The curriculum should also provide windows on the world so that children learn about peoples, places, arts, science, and so on that they would otherwise not encounter. In diverse and inclusive learning communities, one child’s mirrors are another child’s windows, making for wonderful opportunities for collaborative learning” (NAEYC 2020, p. 25).

Figure 1. Lesson Plan Concept Mapping. Reproduced by Sands; Original by Peterson and Elam (2020).

Contributions from

Michelle Sands, Northern Illinois University